it's fucking fantastic to see the first 6 or so episodes redone with gorgeous animation and new pieces to the score, plus the intriguing bits that tell us that this rendition of evangelion is definitely going to veer off the path we're familiar with, but at the end of the day, it's not that great of a film on its own merit.
the pacing is whack, motivations and characters introduced make the plot more convoluted than it already is, there are even some contextual nods/plot points that really rely on foreknowledge of the series in order to understand/appreciate.
but yeah, as a companion piece, this first film is great, especially if you haven't seen the original series in a hot minute. but it's not that great of a film on its own; it's merely the rushed foundation for the next three chapters and a recap for longtime fans.
